This invention relates to a raised surface fabric which is knit on a standard terry knitting machine, and more particularly, to a terry knit raised surface fabric in which the color on the technical face is differentiated from the color on the technical back.
In general, knitted terry fabrics are a variation of a jersey knit fabric whereby two yarns are fed simultaneously into the same needles. A plaiting technique is employed to knit the fabric which causes one yarn always to appear on the technical face, and the other yarn always to appear on the technical back. As the fabric is knitted, sinker loops are formed of one yarn, leaving the other yarn to serve as the ground. Knitted terry is produced in weights ranging from those suitable for robes and beach wear to various types of fashion apparel.
It is also well known to incorporate two different yarns in a fabric product, each having different shrinkage properties or different dyeability properties. Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,691, which describes a terry fabric with a base having terry loops projecting from both faces thereof. The terry loops are formed of two or more types of yarns of varying shrinkability. They are arranged such that the loops formed of at least one of the types of yarns project from the face of the base, and loops formed of at least one of the other types of yarns project from the opposite face of the base. As a result, the opposite faces of the produced fabric are of a different appearance.
It is also well known to produce a terry fabric having a high-low pile. Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,272, in which the terry fabric described therein has a base with terry pile yarns arranged in a pre-determined pattern of high and low pile areas on each side of the base. The high pile areas are formed from cotton terry yarns, and the low pile areas are in the form of terry loops formed of rayon terry yarns.
In all knit fabrics produced with a three-dimensional high-low effect, the pattern produced requires the use of a special knitting machine in order to achieve the desired effect.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a raised surface fabric which is knit on a standard terry knitting machine with a high-low effect such that the color on the face of the fabric is different than the color on the back of the fabric after the application of heat.